What Is Lent: Honoring the Sacrifice of

Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And
he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. Matthew 4:1-2

What is Lent - The Meaning of Time Set Aside

Just as we set aside time to spiritually prepare for Christmas Day, it makes sense to set
aside time to prepare for the two most important days of the Christian year. Lent is a
time that offers us an opportunity to come to terms with the human condition we may
spend the rest of the year running from and it brings our need for a Savior to the
forefront. Like Advent, Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and
understand our Lord a little deeper, so that when Good Friday and eventually Easter
comes, it is not just another day at church but an opportunity to receive the overflowing
of graces God has to offer.

But unlike the childlike joy associated with the season of Advent, with its eager
anticipation of the precious baby Jesus, Lent is an intensely penitential time as we
examine our sinful natures and return to the God we have, through our own
rebelliousness, hurt time and again. Lent is also an opportunity to contemplate what our
Lord really did for us on the Cross - and it wasn't pretty. But ultimately, the purpose of
Lent does not stop at sadness and despair - it points us to the hope of the Resurrection
and the day when every tear will be dried (Rev. 21:4).

And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that
is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:33-49

Although the nature of suffering is not one that offers itself to easy explanations or pat
answers, the answers we seek seem to make the most sense in light of the Cross.
There is nothing in the world - no religion, philosophy, or material comfort - that offers
such a powerful answer to life's toughest questions as the two slabs of wood on which
our Savior died.  Although I was drawn to Christianity in search of joy, it's the Cross that
keeps me coming back day after day, year after year. It is this time of year, known as
Lent, that I am reminded of what Jesus did for me.
 When I look into the eyes of our suffering God, I'm in awe - suddenly the complexity of
our Lord, the love of our Lord, the humanity of our Lord shows through. I realize God is
not just some nebulous energy source or a grandfather sitting in the clouds - He is so
much more. The Cross is where our faith stands when all other faiths fail. Christ's
sacrifice and his subsequent resurrection are the true "cruxes" of the Christian faith.
Without one there would be no salvation, without the other, no hope. This is why Good
Friday and the following Easter Sunday are the most important dates on the Christian
calendar - even more so than Christmas.

When Does Lent Start This Year?

Lent in 2020: The Lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday on February 26, 2020; if
you are following the 40 days tradition, Lent ends on Holy Saturday, April 11, 2020.

However, in the Catholic tradition the "General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the
Calendar," was updated in 1969 to say: "Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until the Mass
of the Lord's Supper exclusive." The Mass of the Lord's Supper for Catholics is on
Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday, which is on April 7th, 2020. For those adhering to
that tradition, Lent will end on Thursday, April 9th. 

Practicing Lent Today

As with Advent, you can benefit from celebrating Lent even if your church does not
formally do so. Here are some of the key elements of the Lenten season, along with
some of the symbolism that comes with it. Many of these practices can be celebrated
both individually and as a community:

 Purple: Like Advent, the official color for Lent is purple. Usually, churches that celebrate
Lent choose the deepest, darkest shade of purple for this special season. They may also strip
their churches bare of some of the usual decorations adorning the walls. Purple is the color of
repentance for sins and also symbolizes the state of our souls outside the light of Christ.
During this time, pray for those who do not know Christ and for those who have sinned gravely
against Him.
 Confession: As mentioned above, Lent is a penitential season, even more so than
Advent. The 40 days are set aside to really examine areas of recurring sin in our lives that
prevent us from being conformed to God's Will.

Keep in mind the idea here is not to be overly scrupulous or to deceive yourself into
thinking you can earn heaven through your own goodness. The goal is to honestly
examine your life in light of God's Word and to make a commitment to change in any
 areas you have not submitted to the Lord. A good way to start an examination of
conscience is by praying Psalm 139, verse 23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my
heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead
me in the way everlasting." Then, hold up your life to the Ten Commandments. Confess,
perhaps even to your pastor or an accountability partner (James 5:16), the ways you've
sinned against God, thank Him for His forgiveness, and ask Him for the grace to
change.

 Fasting and Prayer: Fasting is a practice that has really gone by the wayside in many
Christian circles. Yet, if done correctly, it can be a powerful time of renewing your relationship
with God. Fasting can be found in both the Old Testament and the New, with Moses (Exodus
34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9,18 ), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and our Lord (Matthew 4:2) all participating
in 40-day fasts. Fasting is a way of denying ourselves the excesses of life so that we might be
more attuned to the Lord's voice. It is also a way of disciplining yourself, strengthening your
"spiritual muscles" so to speak, so that when temptations arise in life, you are already used to
saying "no" to your desires. And finally, fasting is also a way of participating, in a small way, in
the sufferings of Christ and can be particularly powerful when accompanied by prayer and
confession.

A word of caution: although fasting can be a wonderful spiritual exercise, it is also an

easy one to abuse. Make sure that when you fast, you do not deprive yourself so much
that you do harm to your body. Fasting should only be practiced by adults and mature
teens. Also, take into account any medical conditions or nutritional needs when deciding
what and how much to abstain from (I recommend consulting with a doctor and/or
spiritual advisor before undertaking a serious fast). On the spiritual front, Jesus warns
us to guard against pride while fasting (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18).

 Meditating on Christ's Sacrifice for Mankind: In addition to periodic fasting

and prayer, our scriptural meditations typically turn to the salvation offered to us
through Christ's suffering. Read Old Testament Scriptures prophesying the suffering of
Christ and the New Testament Gospel accounts.
 Charity/Almsgiving: A very important element of the Lenten season is
becoming aware of not only the suffering and sacrifice of Christ but also to the
suffering of others. Between now and Good Friday, choose one way you can increase
your giving to those in need. It could be through extra financial offerings, donating
goods you no longer need or use to charity, or increasing your personal time
commitment to a ministry or cause close to your heart.

Lent is a time when Christians separate from the world; when we find out our faith is not
just a feel-good, self-help religion but one that answers the deepest questions of life and
eternity. Those who journey through the Lenten season will enter the Easter season
with an increased appreciation for who God is and what He has done for us. And the joy
of Resurrection, as well as the promises of eternity, will not be soon forgotten.

Bible Verses for Lent

Philippians 3:10-11 - "I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection
and participate in his sufferings, becoming like him in death, and so, somehow, attaining
to the resurrection from the dead.

Joel 2:12-14 - "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with
fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to
the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate. 

Matthew 6:16-18 - "when you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites...but when you
fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that
you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what
is done in secret, will reward you."

Lent Prayer

Join me in prayer for this season of Lent:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of this season. Thank you for knowing our hearts and our need for
rhythms in our lives, and for drawing us into a deeper communion with you throughout
the coming 40 days. 

Lord, it can be disheartening to read on Ash Wednesday that all come from dust, and to
dust all return (Ecclesiastes 3:20), yet we know that there is more to our stories. We
know that you created man and woman from the dust at the very beginning of time
(Genesis 2:7) and that you breathed life into them to transform them into living
creatures. We know that you are in the business of resurrection-- your very Son went to
the cross to show us that no death is final and that ultimate transformation comes
through your gift of salvation. Though we were made from dust, and our bodies will
return to dust again, we can live in eternal glory with you through the blood of your Son.

May we remember the gift of salvation in this season...